Kazakhstan, Astana, Jan.11 / Trend L.Podolyak /
Kazakhstan's Constitutional Council (CC) supported the veto of President Nursultan Nazarbayev who stopped a ban on holding parliamentary elections in Zhanaozen, the Council reported. Snap elections to the Majilis of the Kazakh Parliament are scheduled for Jan.15
"Today CC Kazakh President's veto was not overridden. In this regard an additional order of the CC from Jan.6, 2012 №1 was not adopted. The constitutional process has been stopped," the Council reported.
According to paragraph 4 of article 73 of the Constitution, the president's objections to the Constitutional Council' resolution may be introduced. They can be overruled by two-thirds of the votes of the total number of members of the Council. If the objections of the President are not overruled, the resolution of the Constitutional Council shall be considered not adopted.
A state of emergency has been declared in Zhanaozen, where mass riots took place in December, 2011, until Jan.31. In this regard the Constitutional Council took a decision on the impossibility of holding parliamentary elections in Zhanaozen. On Jan.10, 2011 the Kazakh President vetoed this decision.
It was noted that the Kazakh President took into account Zhanaozen residents' concerns over the fact that the Constitutional Council's decision limits their voting rights stipulated by the country's Constitution and laws.